In optical communications using optical transmission members such as optical fibers and light waveguides, optical modules have been used, provided with a light emitting element such as a surface-emitting laser (for example, VCSEL: Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser). Such an optical module includes a transmitting optical receptacle that allows light including communication information emitted from a light emitting element to be incident on an optical transmission member, or a receiving optical receptacle that allows light from the optical transmission member to be incident on a light receiving element (see, e.g., PTL 1).
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of receiving optical receptacle 10 disclosed in PTL 1. As illustrated in FIG. 1, optical receptacle 10 includes a plurality of incidence surfaces 12 that allow light from a plurality of optical fibers to be respectively incident thereon, reflection surface 14 that reflects light incident on the plurality of incidence surfaces 12, a plurality of emission surfaces 16 that emit light reflected by reflection surface 14 respectively toward the plurality of light receiving elements, and a pair of guide holes 18 disposed such that reflection surface 14 is interposed therebetween. The plurality of optical fibers are housed in an optical connector, and convex parts of the optical connector are inserted into guide holes 18 to thereby connect the plurality of optical fibers to optical receptacle 10.
In optical receptacle 10 connected in such a manner, light emitted from the optical fiber is incident on incidence surface 12 to be reflected by reflection surface 14 toward the light receiving surface of the light receiving element, and then reaches the light receiving surface of the light receiving element through light emission surface 16.
Optical receptacle 10 disclosed in PTL 1 is integrally molded by injection molding using a thermoplastic transparent resin. Specifically, optical receptacle 10 is produced by pouring the thermoplastic transparent resin into a mold cavity for solidification, and then releasing optical receptacle 10.